IMPACT NEWSLETTER FOR MARCH 2012 (PART 1)

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV) [16] All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
Consider this year to be ‘The Year Of The Bible’ at RFBC. Here are some of the strategies that will help us know more about God’s Word and be able to apply more of His Word to our hearts:
1) For the next several Sunday mornings, we will be looking at the book of Mark one paragraph at a time. This will allow God’s Word to dictate the flow and direction of each message as we walk through Mark’s gospel.
2) We are learning systematic theology on Wednesday nights and you can join us at any point because each week has a new topic unless we use two weeks to cover a certain topic such as ‘Why are there 66 books in the Bible?’ and ‘What does it mean to repent?’
3) Plus you will be receiving these newsletters each month that will feature articles to help you be more consistent and more effective in your personal Bible Study.

"How can I grow in my understanding of sound doctrine?" from 9Marks by permission
1. Give heed to the preached Word. Discuss the ser-mon afterward with friends and family.
2. Study the Scriptures diligently. Gaining a broad and deep grasp of Scripture is the most important way to grow in the knowledge of God.
3. Read good books about theology and doctrine. (ex. Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology)
4. Discuss the Bible with mentors and friends. As you discuss the Bible’s teaching, apply it to your lives together.
5. Do evangelism. Explaining the gospel to non-Christians and answering some of their objections will strengthen your grasp on the gospel and sharpen your ability to communicate the gospel.
6. Teach the Bible and theology to younger Christians.

"Transmitting The Word" An Interview With John Piper (selected questions and answers from this interview)
BSM: How should we approach the Bible when reading it?
PIPER: I’m torn as to which approach to take in answering that. I want to say right off the bat that we should approach the Bible with reverence. And yet I’m aware that there might be peo-ple reading this who don’t even know enough about the Bible to know whether it should be revered or not. Maybe they’ve barely even read it. Because of the history of the Bible, exerting power in the lives of people for good for over two thousand years, I think I would say to those people, "Come to the Bible with a sense of expectation and openness that here you might find something vastly more wise and more penetrating and more world-shaping than any of the con-temporary ideas you are presently dealing with."
And after they come, I think they will discover that this is the very Word of God and, therefore, it should be approached with a sense of reverence. And it should be approached with a sense of need and with a sense of expectation that God has given us this Word in order to meet our needs, to convict us of sin, to bring us to the point of forgiveness, and then to give us hope.
Second Timothy 3:16 says that the Scriptures are inspired by God and are sufficient for sound doctrine and every good work. There’s nothing God expects of us that He does not provide in this Word. He helps us understand what to do and gives us the motivation to do it. There’s a high-level expectation that I think people ought to have when they approach the Bible.


BSM: How can we make time for the Bible?
PIPER: I don’t think it’s merely a function of time. It’s a function of earnestness and faith. A per-son must build into their life a regular encounter with God, personally and quietly meditating on His Word. I think the early morning is the best time, because it sets the tone for the whole day. If for some reason that time can’t work, then midday or evening.
Get the Bible, the time, and the place — make sure it’s planned — and then meditate on a por-tion of Scripture: a chapter, verses, or several chapters, depending on what you can do. Memorize some verses, or even phrases, that appear especially precious to you.
This morning I memorized, "I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts" (Jer. 31:33). That was my little nugget that I took away from this morning’s devotion so that I could, all day long, reassure myself that God would do that for me.
You don’t need hours and hours with God every day, but you do need to have time with God orienting your mind, taking something into your heart, letting your heart express itself to God in communion — taking faith’s renewal and walking with God through the day, reminding yourself of what you saw in the morning.
I don’t think you need to be a "professional" preacher like me in order to enjoy deep and glori-ous things with God. In fact, some of the deepest saints that I’ve ever met, who outshine me, have not been "professional" Christians.

BSM: How would you counsel someone to begin anew who hasn’t read their Bible in a long time?
PIPER: I would encourage them to get a fresh Bible — I’m not too concerned about what version — and then begin a reading program in the New Testament with some passages from the Old Testament. They should also get into a good church or small group that loves the Bible. And these two things — your per-sonal encounter with the Bible and exposure to what God is teaching you through other people about the Bible — will cause the Bible to come alive again as you pray and ask God to make it come alive.